2021 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

PipneyJane

Heavens!  The wind feels cold today.  I am sitting at my desk at home wearing thermal leggings, jeans, handknitted socks, ugg boots, a wool jumper with my college fleece over the top, fingerless gloves and a rug wrapped around me, and I still feel cold!

An update on DH's new hat.  I won't be knitting it in the Wensleydale DK.  I did a deep-dive through my stash last night, in order to find it and, in the process, came across two balls of a DK-weight possum-fibre yarn in a similar shade of Denim Blue that I'd forgotten* about.    I did find the Wensleydale, but it was vacuum packed in one of those huge sacks and our vacuum cleaner is playing up so I may not be able to re-vac the package.    Anyway, I took the two balls of possum-fibre downstairs and asked DH what he preferred:  an identical replacement - in which case I needed his help with the vacuumed package - or the possum-fibre.  He rubbed his face with the possum-fibre and declared "This one, please!".

This stuff is SOFT.  I'll cast on tonight and knit the same pattern as before (Montreal Tuque by Veronik Avery).

- Pip  (off to warm up with a hot lunch)



* Left over from a cardigan that I knitted about 15 years ago. 

** OMG!  I have a lot of yarn.  In that pack alone must be at least 10lb of yarn and there are at least 5 other boxes of the stuff.  

Cherryfudge

Only from Oz, I guess! I'd never realised there is such a thing as possum fibre but you have a double win in that your DH chose it and the stash will decrease a little.

5 boxes... but you don't say how big the boxes are! It's all right, I'm not asking.

I've bought a couple of textile pieces but both from a charity shop so no coupons. One's a Per Una tee shirt that I took a liking to and the other is a cashmere scarf which I'm feeling guilty about as I DO NOT need another scarf - but it's cashmere so I was sorely tempted and gave in. Now I'm trying to decide if there's someone for whom it might be the perfect Christmas present (though that person is likely to be me).

This fudge is jolly nice, by the way. Amazing how quickly it's going down!

PipneyJane

Cherryfudge said:

Only from Oz, I guess! I'd never realised there is such a thing as possum fibre but you have a double win in that your DH chose it and the stash will decrease a little.

5

Actually from New Zealand.  In the mid-19th century, some bright spark of a European thought that it would be a  great idea to introduce Australian possums "for sport", only for them to have a devastating effect on the local wildlife, particularly on kiwis.  The possums are culled regularly and this fibre is a biproduct.

(In Australia, a similar bright spark introduced foxes and rabbits, again with devastating effect.)

5 boxes... but you don't say how big the boxes are! It's all right, I'm not asking.

Archive box sized.  I have way too much yarn, @Cherryfudge.  If we were really in 1942, I would have enough to keep me knitting until after the end of rationing.

I've bought a couple of textile pieces but both from a charity shop so no coupons. One's a Per Una tee shirt that I took a liking to and the other is a cashmere scarf which I'm feeling guilty about as I DO NOT need another scarf - but it's cashmere so I was sorely tempted and gave in. Now I'm trying to decide if there's someone for whom it might be the perfect Christmas present (though that person is likely to be me).

This fudge is jolly nice, by the way. Amazing how quickly it's going down!

Thanks for the fudge, @Laura_Elsewhere

- Pip

Laura_Elsewhere

Thanks, @Cherryfudge - and you would know a good fudge when you eat it!  

Anyone for brandy snaps? I've just discovered how incredibly quick and easy they are to make, and My Intended and I think they're absolutely delicious still-warm, slightly chewy and not filled... 

@PipneyJane, I once met someone who worked in a forensic lab who told me all about their very extensive Fibre Reference Collection which contained pretty well every possible fibre that might be found at any crime scene. I asked about possum, as my Mum had a lovely pair of knitted possum gloves from NZ - they had no idea such a thing existed and I had to borrow Mum's gloves and take hem along to be duly 'taped' and added to the reference samples!

So if you're ever planning to burgle a knitting-warehouse, don't wear your OH's possum-hat  

Cherryfudge

Just came across the following on my Facebook feed and have passed it to a friend locally but I wondered if anyone here might also find it interesting? I’ve no inside knowledge of the lecturer or event so I’m not actually recommending, just sticking the flier on the noticeboard ☺️

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/kate-fletcher-fashion-and-nature-tickets-219807087917?aff=LBUFacebook

Cherryfudge

PipneyJane said:

Cherryfudge said:

Only from Oz, I guess! I'd never realised there is such a thing as possum fibre but you have a double win in that your DH chose it and the stash will decrease a little.

5

Actually from New Zealand.  In the mid-19th century, some bright spark of a European thought that it would be a  great idea to introduce Australian possums "for sport", only for them to have a devastating effect on the local wildlife, particularly on kiwis.  The possums are culled regularly and this fibre is a biproduct.

(In Australia, a similar bright spark introduced foxes and rabbits, again with devastating effect.)

5 boxes... but you don't say how big the boxes are! It's all right, I'm not asking.

Archive box sized.  I have way too much yarn, @Cherryfudge.  If we were really in 1942, I would have enough to keep me knitting until after the end of rationing.

Possums, rabbits and foxes 😯 no wonder Australia is so strong on keeping out biological contamination!

It’s believed the Romans brought pheasants over here but I suspect that has saved a good many partridges and the like as pheasants have so very little sense they would probably have died out long ago if not bred to be shot. 😐

When I am feeling brave and reckless I will post a photo of my stash which is not neatly archive-boxed but is in a mixture of boxes, plastic crates and bags. I should weigh it come New Year and try to  have less by the end (it doesn’t count if I buy new that way, so long as I use up more than I bring in).

Laura_Elsewhere

@Cherryfudge, you could join me in my attempt next year to, um, reverse-coupon my wardrobe...!  

My unfinalised plan is along the lines of: as usual, I'll have 66 coupons to spend on clothing and footwear, but I shall have a second, separate tally in which I shall be trying to sew-knit-crochet my way *up* to 66 coupons! So if I knit a cardigan using wool I already have on Jan 1st, then I add 6 coupons to my Making tally, whereas if I buy a cardigan - OR if I buy wool to knit one - then I spend 6 coupons of my usual 66-per-annum Fashion on the Ration tally. 

It's a bit vague still, but I thought it might be a fun way to see if I can really push myself to get ON with making various things I already have materials to make... 

CapricornLass

You are making me feel so guilty, as I'm not knitting anything.  Only have odd random balls to be used up, rather than any particular project, so I would have to buy wool.  But I need another jumper like I need another hole in the head.

Still I've got loads of Mum's stuff still to sort out.  Its largely confined to one room in my house now, which is progress of sorts, but there is still plenty to go through and try and get rid of..  Today's little effort was to go through the pile of gloves and mittens and get rid of the single ones (including, for some reason, one fleecy slipper as well!)

maddiemay

Loving the planned potential purchases and the stash stories, my stash is huge as I used to be a steady knitter and prepared for retirement and reduced income by stashing lots of lovely bargains from sales, shows etc. The plan was fine, but did not envisage Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have plans for getting a few garments knitted for me by others as I love the yarns.

Yesterday I started looking out the WIPS, apart from one lovely cardigan they are cowls, fingerless gloves and the like. I can only knit a very few short rows at a time, I think I might have found a wee bit of my mojo at last.  Currently undoing an Aran weight jacket which just didn't work out - it will either re-materialise as cowl/scarf or may just be donated to CS.

CapricornLass a few years ago my dear uncle needed urgent surgery he recovered well and when due to be discharged he found that one of his shoes was missing from the locker by his bed, he had to get his son to make a lengthy diversion to bring another pair of shoes, he was most annoyed as they were quality leather shoes which he had expected to outlive him.

florianatwobob

Having sat in one of our remote offices today and ended up with chilly fingers I shall have to look at making some wrist/hand warmers. There is yarn in the stash but I’m not sure if I have enough ‘nice’ yarn to make them, even with some creative mix and matching. I’ll have a look over the weekend.